what did you used to buy that you now realise is a waste of money?

[overdrawn]

I’m trying to sort out a credit card debt and reduce my spending so wanted to ask what are things you used to spend money on that you’ve realised aren’t worth it?

For some reason, I used to buy the expensive Brabantia bin bags (I have no idea why!) and a few months ago realised it was a complete waste of money and now buy regular black bin bags.

I also bought a home gel nails kit and do my own manicures / pedicures (I did lots of research and bought a good brand, and follow all the advice) They look just as good (if not better) than what I was getting in an average salon and the cost per manicure is much less.

@MarvellousMonsters I agree to a point. I go days without make up and it is freeing. But women also shouldn't feel they are acting like sheep if they do want to use it. It can be fun, highlight features we like, cover up scars or age spots and help us navigate through an imperfect world. Sometimes.

@Gall10 Can you download the books onto your kindle? I like to take a kindle with me when I travel as I often get through a lot of books and don't want the extra weight! I couldn't find anything about kindle downloads at my local library when I had a (very quick!) look last night!

I don’t have a kindle I download to iPad….I suppose if you’ve a kindle that lets you download apps (is there such a thing?) then you’ll be able to download from borrow box.

There’s info here about how to download books to your pc from borrowbox. From there you could use Calibre to upload to kindle.

https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/6677/Guide-to-downloading-Borrowbox-eBooks-to-a-Computer-and-eReader

Does henna look ok if you have a fair amount of grey hair ? Have wanted to try this but not been brave enough to experiment.

I spend on a good cut at my favourite hairdresser- I have fine curly hair and even professionals can make me look bald by cutting the curl out. For me it’s a treat and I enjoy the experience.
however: the nighty I had on last night was bought when my first DC was born 36 years ago! And my Miele vacuum cleaner is older than that and still going strong.

@blueshoes with the Libby/ Borrowbox apps, you may be able to get the same books free from your library. That’s a tenner you can spend on mojitos while you are reading :-)

For anyone considering henna, remember it is on the prohibited list if you have G6PD deficiency.

@sadaboutmycat maybe yours is ok with it but it has ruined mine in the past.

It uses a lot more bleach than they would to dye an equivalent shade in a salon. Maybe your hair has a higher tolerance for it, or you have shorter hair.

Does Borrowbox have a good selection? Amazon is of course unbeatable. Whenever I go to the local library (admittedly the last time was more than 10 years ago), I cannot find anything I want to read on holiday - the standards of pulp are even lower than mine. I presume for e-books I don't have to worry that it has been borrowed out and need to wait for it to be returned.

A mojito sounds alluring though!

Our library uses Libby, and it does have a good selection. I have had to wait for some books, but generally they have been available.

They also have a fantastic selection of magazines. I download loads to take on holiday.

Apart from essentials, i feel i dont really spend any money now.
I just want to sit and stare at the sea or green fields and thats free.

I presume for e-books I don't have to worry that it has been borrowed out and need to wait for it to be returned.

I looked for an audio book which was over £30 to buy but available for free digitally via the library. According to their records, someone had it out & I thought the same: that being a digital copy that didn't matter. But it did. I still haven't got a copy of it, as it now seems to have vanished completely from their catalogue.

I tried the free magazine thing, but you couldn't download a magazine, you could only view it via the internet IIRC.

Now that's interesting as fabric softener is not supposed to be used on towels very frequently as it leaves a film, so ideally you should just use white vinegar with some essential oils added to make them smell nice. I actually use this as a replacement for fabric softener on a lot of my clothes and bedding. Works just as well as a shop-bought fabric softener and no man-made chemicals!

From Google:
Use fabric softener according to directions, but add it only every three or four washes. Waxy buildup from softeners can deteriorate the towel fibers over time and reduce their absorbency. No one wants a towel that's not fluffy, so be careful when using fabric softener with towels.

Glossy magazines - when I was in late teens/early 20's I spent a fortune on Cosmo, Marie Claire, etc (and I was not remotely a dressy sort of young woman and hardly wore make up, etc! 😂) plus SFX and other film magazines. They cost about £4 each back in the 90's, god knows what they cost now! I suppose nowadays so much of that content is available for free online but back in the day I just mindlessly bought a Marie Claire every month. It felt like a 'treat'. My student bedroom reeked of those smelly perfume sample pages! And what I don't understand is WHY I did this. Performative femininity?? I think I fell hook, line, and sinker for that 90's brand of Ladette Feminism Wonderbra and all!

Eventually I stopped buying the stupid glossy 'women's' mags and switched to Country Living, craft magazines and still the film and SciFi ones. But they were also a waste of money. I think the last magazine I actually bought was Current Archaeology which I do sort of like (that used to be my field) but I hardly ever read them cover to cover. Basically everything is online and I don't understand how publishing companies SELL magazines these days.

When we moved house I had boxes and boxes of them that I'd been hoarding for over a decade and couldn't bring myself to get rid of because they'd been so pricy. And I think they probably don't recycle, either.

I also regret spending lots on our wedding (and it wasn't a big or splashy one, we did a lot of it ourselves) because it was one day and I barely remember any of it, it went past in a flash.

Ah yes, fabric conditioner. I used not to bother (hearing my mum muttering about unhealthy chemicals on clothing you wear next to your fanjo) then I did and enjoyed the difference for a while, then MN sold me on the theory that it helps create stinky build-up in your clothing (armpit area) and the machine itself, so I went over to vinegar. This thread has reminded me that I need to order another huge bottle of it from Amazon. Wish a local hardware shop would sell it in that volume.

Buying insurance by direct debit. I’M trying to buy them all upfront rather than monthly, to save the monthly interest fees. In the past, not too much was added, but now everything has gone up, it soon mounts up. I transfer money into a separate account instead and save it up.

Just returning to inform that I have washed more towels today (I enjoy washing my towels) and having used fabric conditioner I can safely say they are a lot softer than the ones I took in the other day without conditioner. Weather circumstances similar.

I think I’ll be continuing to use fabric softener. Will not be relying on finishing them off in the dryer or when the weather is as glorious as it is today

Fabric conditioner turns my dispenser draw black. Awful stuff. Haven’t tried the vinegar thing but don’t have a problem with my towels being hard. They’re supposed to be absorbent..

They’re not supposed to feel like sandpaper though. I give mine ten minutes in the tumble dryer after they’ve dried outside.

Well they obviously don’t! They feel like towels.

Lots of talk about vinegar in the washing machine - it is a great way of cleaning almost everything. No need to buy window cleaner, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner etc. - there is nearly always some combination of vinegar, washing up liquid and water that will do the job. You can put it in used spray bottles. I wish you could buy the right kind of vinegar in supermarkets but you can get it online.

I looked up the vinegar uses.
The article I read gave different dilution ratios depending on what you were cleaning 🤷?

What ratio would I use in the machine and what would I add to it to make it smell nice ?

I stopped using softener ages ago as clothes were coming out slimy.

I only miss it for the smell with freshly made bed.

I like rough towels !

Extra exfoliation after a shower !

Exactly @bizzey !😂

We’re all different. I like soft fluffy towels.